Never Say Die
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: Scully and Mulder on the morning of their day off.


**A/N: I know, Dudes. I have been SUCH a bad Phile lately. I suck. **

**Dedicated to my Lily - who has been begging for an XF fic. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

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**For the first time in over a month Dana Scully wasn't awakened by the incessant beeping of her alarm clock or the ringing of her cellphone, but rather by the mid-morning sun seeping through her curtains. Tossing back the covers, she glanced at her nightstand and smiled, it was ten thirty and she had absolutely no where to be for a change. Stumbling down the hallway to the kitchen, she started a pot of coffee and glanced at her couch where her partner had fallen asleep sometime during the wee hours of the morning.

"Mulder." She whispered, crouching beside him and shaking his shoulder, "Mulder, wake up."

Mulder groaned and arched his back like a scared cat, "Scully?"

"Hey, Partner, coffee is on." Scully moved and sat on the coffee table as Mulder righted himself. She glanced around her apartment – mentally cataloging things she needed to accomplish and how much she didn't want to do any of it.

"Morning, Scully." Mulder grinned as his eyes drifted over her messy auburn locks and her pajamas all askew. Pulling at her pajamas self-consciously, her blue eyes drifted up to meet his dark cocoa orbs, "What are your plans for today?"

"Chores." Scully mumbled absentmindedly, getting up to finish the coffee.

Mulder followed her to the kitchen, "Chores? What are you, seven?"

"The apartment needs to be cleaned. Bills need to be paid. I'm in dire need of a trip to the grocery store." She listed off as she made Mulder a cup of coffee and handed it to him, before turning to make her own.

"Scully," He admonished after taking a sip, "those are not things you do on your day off! That's what you do when Skinner demands we take the weekend off and you need something to keep your hands busy."

"And when I come home to no electricity again, you're paying my reconnect fee." Her eyes narrowed at him over her steaming mug.

His grin grew, "Deal." He moved to the cupboards over her counter, "Hey! You have pancake mix. Go, shower. I'll make breakfast. We can watch a movie. And then, I'll let you do your _chores._"

"Deal." Scully fired back, sitting her coffee mug on the counter and leaving the kitchen. She was halfway to her bedroom, when she turned on her heel, "Oh, Mulder, you making breakfast also includes you doing the dishes."

"Okay, Scully."

"And doing the dishes does not mean throwing them away and replacing them."

"OKAY, Scully."

With a grin, she sauntered the rest of the way to the master bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, Scully made her way back to the kitchen. She took a seat on the counter as Mulder stacked pancakes onto a plate for her. Turning to hand her a plate, his jaw slacked at the sight of her apparel. Her casual look was cutoffs paired with a ratty Dead Kennedys shirt, barefoot with her hair pulled into a messy bun. He choked for a moment, "I never took you for a punk fan, Scully."

"Charlie and I used to sneak out to shows all the time." She supplied as she accepted the plate.

He raised his eyebrows, "Dana Katherine Scully not only sneaked out but did so with her little brother to see punk bands?"

"Close your mouth before you catch flies, Mulder."

"I'm flabbergasted." Mulder grabbed his own plate and lead the way to the couch, "What else don't I know about you, Partner?"

She shrugged, taking a seat on her couch and tucking her feet under her, "Lots of stuff."

"Like?" Mulder grabbed the remote and flicked on the TV, turning the volume down low as 'Goonies' began.

"Uhm," Scully racked her brain for an old story, "when I was seventeen, I took off for a weekend without telling anyone where I was going. I drove all the way to Nevada before I turned around and went home. My parents were furious."

"You drove to Nevada? By yourself? At seventeen?" His jaw slacked and a piece of unchewed pancake sat on his tongue.

"Gross," She shoved his shoulder, "weren't you taught to swallow before you speak?"

"I'm not a fan of rules."

"Believe me, I know."

"So," Mulder mumbled around a bite of food, "ever seen this movie?"

"Goonies? Yeah." Scully nodded emphatically, "I always wanted to go on an adventure like that."

"We go on adventures." He supplied.

"And come up with the metaphorical version of Fools Gold."

He locked eyes with her, "So says the Skeptic."

"So says the Believer." She fired back, glaring at him.

"Alright," He blinked, "put your phasers on stun, there's no need to give me the glare of death."

With that, they turned their attention to the movie and watched the preteens go on the adventure of a lifetime. Scully slowly lost her resolve and uncurled her legs as she finished her plate. By the time Andy was playing the piano made of bones, her feet were on Mulder's lap and his ankles were crossed on the coffee table.

"Hey, you guys!" Mulder bellowed along with Sloth as Scully choked on a sip of her lukewarm coffee. Mulder shrugged and grin before looking back at the movie. Rolling her eyes, Scully jabbed him in the ribs with her foot.

As the credits rolled, Scully stood and popped her back and Mulder took their dishes to the kitchen. Grabbing her bag from her bedroom, she met him by the front door and they stood toe-to-toe in silence for a few moments.

"Well, this has been fun...." Scully grinned up at him, "Mouth."

"Whatever you say, Stef." Mulder laughed, "Let's go." His hand found it's place on her lower back and they walked in companionable silence out to the street. They separated, each heading for their respective vehicles. Mulder had unlocked the car and was opening the door when he turned, "Hey, Scully?"

"Yeah?" She looked up.

"Goonies never say die!"

"Funny. Neither do FBI Agents."

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**And neither do Philes! Woot. Reviews mean my undying adoration. **


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